Resilient locking device for security ski bindings

ABSTRACT

Resilient locking device front or rear security ski bindings in which means are provided to retain the sole of the boot against the force produced by an inclined position of the skier during the resilient cycle preceding releasing of the security bindings, which comprises means for decreasing said force while increasing a possible vertical stroke of the sole of the boot.

United States Patent Inventor Georges P. J. Salomon 34, Avenue de Larery, Annecy, Haule- Savole, France Appl. No. 854,367 I Filed Sept. 2, 1969 Patented Dec. 21, 1971 Priority Sept. 6, 1968 France 1068-74 RESILIENT LOCKING DEVICE FOR SECURITY SKI BINDINGS Primary Examiner- Benjamin Hersh Assistant Examiner-Robert R. Song Att0meyRaymond A. Robic ABSTRACTi Resilient locking device front or rear security ski bindings in which means are provided to retain the sole of the boot against the force produced by an inclined position of the 9 Claims 9 Drawing Figs skier during the resilient cycle preceding releasing of the US. Cl 280/11.35 T security bindings, which comprises means for decreasing said Int. Cl A63c 9/00 force while increasing a possible vertical stroke of the sole of Field oi Search 280/1 1.35 T the boot.

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INVENTOR. eoryes R J 5A 1. 0M0/V RESILIENT LOCKING DEVICE FOR SECURITY SKI BINDINGS This invention relates to an improved resilient locking device for security ski bindings.

It is well known that front or rear security ski bindings, in which the locking mechanism comprises an assembly of movable pieces, execute a resilient stroke under the bias of a spring, and that said resilient travel takes place before the lock is released. The curve of the forces which hold the sole of the boot versus the vertical displacement of the boot, is either indefinite as in the case of French Pat. No. 1,516,224 filed on Jan. 25, 1967 or specific and well defined as in French Pat. No. 1,371,727 filed Oct. 21, 1963 which states; the force of the spring acting on the holding pieces remains constant until the release takes place.

Actually, it is incorrect to state that the force of the spring acting on the holding pieces is constant. As a matter of fact, this force is variable and the distance from the point of application of this force on one of the holding pieces to the axis of the said piece is also variable. Control of these two variables may permit the resultant torque exerted by the spring on the holding piece to remain constant.

In the latter device, a specific amount of work, which is equal to the force times its displacement is required from the spring. This value should however not exceed a certain limit which could be detrimental to the force which must be supplied when somebody voluntarily removes a boot.

The present invention therefore proposes to overcome the above disadvantages in a simple and efficient manner. The device according to the invention will permit a decrease of the force holding the sole during a resilient period, while keeping the same value for the force of release. For a given amount work, it will therefore be possible to increase the vertical displacement of the sole before releasing the binding. By way of comparison, it may be stated that the vertical displacement of the sole before said releasing, in the system according to the invention, will be three times as important as in the already known systems. The result is that the holding force during a resilient period should be three times as weak as the stress required for releasing. The increase of the vertical displacement will permit the use of the binding with ski boots having various sole thicknesses with or without a layer of snow unintentionally accumulated between the upper face of the ski and the lower face of the sole of the boot. On the other hand, the reduced holding force during the resilient period, or the force required to hold the sole of the boot is sufficient for skiing on snow. The purpose of the invention is therefore to adapt known means, such as a ramp or a cam in contact with a ball, roller or piston in order, to obtain a curve of the force of release in which the force to hold the sole, during the resilient cycle, is substantially lower than the force required to hold the sole when the binding is released.

The invention will be better understood by referring to the description which follows and to the annexed schematic drawings which give by way of nonlimitative examples,

preferred embodiments of the invention.

In the drawings which illustrate the invention FIG. 1 represents in Cartesian coordinates, the various curves of the forces versus the strokes for various devices. The forces are represented in ordinates Y, the strokes in abscissae FIG. 2 represents a side view of the device according to French Pat. No. 1,371,727;

FIG. 3 represents a side view of the device according to the invention;

FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7 represent, as nonlimitative illustration, a few variations in the cam arrangement of the present invention. Broken lines represent the profile for a positive (angle of attack defined below) which creates a return effect. The profile with a negative, thus creating an escape efiect is shown in full line. On the surfaces P, which present the rising of the cam, a is increasing.

FIG. 8 is an embodiment of an industrial realization of the invention incorporating a modification whereby after release of the security binding, a return to the initial position is permitted without a return along the profile of the cam;

FIG. 9 represents a control means for the system which shunts the profile of the cam.

In FIG. 1, the curve EFF'40 G has been drawn up in accordance with French Pat. No. 1,371,727 prior to the proposed invention. The curve ABCC' was set in accordance with the invention. In fact, the upper portion C defines the point of release which has the same value as in the curve according to French Pat. No. 1,371,727. The portion AB has an ordinate value lower than either FF or BC and characterizes the reduced holding force during the resilient cycle. The substantial increase of the force in BC produces the point of release. In the two cases, the work remains the same; the area OEFF" is equal to the OABBC' but in the case of the invention, there is a greater displacement or resiliency reserve since 0C is greater than OF.

The dotted lines represent modifications or options.

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate the action of a jaw l pivoting about a fixed axis 2, under the action of a ball, roller or the like 3. The jaw l is submitted to the force of a spring 6 by means of a link, lever or the like 4 solid with the roller or the like 3, which is freely rotatable about the element 4, the latter pivoting about a fixed axis 5.

In FIG. 2, the profile defined in French Pat. No. 1,371,727 serves to assess the variation of the angle a, which will hereinafter be called angle of attach, of the roller on the profile of the jaw and will be defined as follows: angle formed by a line perpendicular to the profile, at the bearing point under consideration, and the radius of the cam at this bearing point."

The angle a varies from E to F in order to compensate for the increase of the force of the spring as it is compressed. This is accomplished by a decrease of the distance 1, which varies as a decreases. In this manner, the force increases and the distance 1 decreases so as to keep constant the torque acting on the jaw. Beyond F for the shapes Fl-I or FG, 11 is smaller than a, and could even reach zero to cause a force which is positive or equal to zero, such as shown in FIG. 1 by FG or F"I-I.

In FIG. 3 of the proposed construction, the angle of attach between A and B remains smaller than a; and it increases between B and C to thereby produce a longer stroke for the same amount of work. On the other hand, it is also possible to willingly depart from the teachings of French Pat. No. 1,371,737 which defines a constant force up to the time of release. Then beyond C through CD, it has been found advantageous to provide a negative force represented by C"D in FIG. 1. This characteristic is already known according to US. Pat. No. 2,364,620 notwithstanding the fact that according to the invention, one obtains a new results, i.e. an easy removing of the boot, by shunting the profile by means of the added escape device.

In FIG. 8, the jaw 1 used to retain the heel rotates about the fixed axis 2. The axis 5 is solid with the jaw l and allows the cam 4, which is used to restore the original holding position, to rotate when the jaw l is submitted to a force by the boot. This rotation is transmitted by means of the spring 6 which is permanently supported on the jaw 1. The cam profile according to the invention can be retracted by means of a device as represented in FIG. 9. However, this profile is shaped on a movable piece 8 which pivots about an axis 11 solid with the return cam 4. The presence of the retractable stop 7 serves to operate the security device since it contacts the retractable cam 8 and holds it against the roller or the like 3 which is solid with a screw 12. The screw 12 indirectly permits an adjustment of the spring 6. The nut 13 is used to keep the screw 12 stationary in rotation in order to keep the above adjustment constant. The presence of the spring 9 is responsible for the fact that the cam 8 always tends to come back to a working position.

The device which allows the cam 8 to be retractable is represented in FIG. 9 in the working position of said cam. In fact, the cam 8 abuts the stop 7, which is solid with a lever 14 the latter pivoting about an axis 15 which is always maintained in position on the return cam 4. The support of the cam 8 on the stop 7 is obtained when the stop 7 enters the orifices 18 provided in the cam 4 and when the spring 17 pushes the lever 14 to then permit by pivoting the introduction of the: stop 7 in the orifices 18. It is the combination of the profiles 16, provided on the lever 14 and the body which will permit the stop 7 to exit from the orifices 18, so that during the return of the security assembly, the cam 8 will remain resiliently supported on the roller 3 by means of a spring 6 of FIG. 8, while remaining in the space provided therefor in cam 4. When the skier wants to remove his boots, he will have to take out stop 7 from the orifices 18 to permit displacement of the cam 8 in the front of the roller .3. For this purpose, the skier will have to lean against the axis 19 which will transmit its movement to the lever 14 which pivots about the axis 15. The spring 20 supported on the shoulder or the like 21 and on the assembly 10 will permit the return of the axis 19 in a position where it is never in contact with the lever 14.

lclaim:

l. A resilient locking device for a security ski binding comprising:

a. a jaw for retaining a ski boot,

b. a cam operatively coupled with said jaw, said cam having a cam surface thereon,

c. a member cooperating with said cam, said member and said cam being adapted for relative movement along said cam surface, in response to external force on said jaw,

d. a spring urging said member and said cam against each other, said member, said cam and said spring producing retaining forces on said jaw to oppose external forces on said jaw,

e. said cam surface including a first profile means for producing a substantially constant first rate of change of retaining force on said jaw as said member and said cam undergo initial relative movement, and

f. said cam having a second profile means for producing on said jaw a retaining force increasing at a second rate of change which is greater than said first rate of change as said member and said cam undergo final relative movement before release of the binding.

2. A resilient locking device as defined in claim 1 wherein:

said cam and said jaw are integrally joined.

3. A resilient locking device as defined in claim 2 wherein said jaw is pivotally mounted on a fixed axis.

4. A resilient locking device as defined in claim I wherein said member is swingably mounted on a fixed axis, said spring cooperating with and urging said member against said cam, said member including a rotatable roller thereon, said roller engaging said cam surface.

5. A resilient locking device as defined in claim 1 wherein said first profile means is connected to said second profile means to form an abrupt juncture therebetween whereby said retaining force will be suddenly increased when said member moves from said first profile means to said second profile means.

6. A resilient locking device as defined in claim 1 wherein said first profile means is connected to said second profile means to form a smooth juncture therebetween whereby said retaining force will be regularly increased when said member moves from said first profile means to said second profile means.

7. A resilient locking device as defined in claim 1 including means associated therewith by bypassing the effect of said cam whereby saidjaw, after release, may be easily returned to a position for retaining a ski boot on a ski.

8. A resilient locking device as defined in claim 1 wherein said cam includes a third profile means permitting release of said locking device when said member has moved past said second profile means.

9. A resilient locking device as defined ll'l claim 1 wherein said first rate of change of retaining force is substantially zero whereby said first profile means produces a substantially constant retaining force. 

1. A resilient locking device for a security ski binding comprising: a. a jaw for retaining a ski boot, b. a cam operatively coupled with said jaw, said cam having a cam surface thereon, c. a member cooperating with said cam, said member and said cam being adapted for relative movement along said cam surface, in response to external force on said jaw, d. a spring urging said member and said cam against each other, said member, said cam and said spring producing retaining forces on said jaw to oppose external forces on said jaw, e. said cam surface including a first profile means for producing a substantially constant first rate of change of retaining force on said jaw as said member and said cam undergo initial relative movement, and f. said cam having a second profile means for producing on said jaw a retaining force increasing at a second rate of change which is greater than said first rate of change as said member and said cam undergo final relative movement before release of the binding.
 2. A resilient locking device as defined in claim 1 wherein: said cam and said jaw are integrally joined.
 3. A resilient locking device as defined in claim 2 wherein said jaw is pivotally mounted on a fixed axis.
 4. A resilieNt locking device as defined in claim 1 wherein said member is swingably mounted on a fixed axis, said spring cooperating with and urging said member against said cam, said member including a rotatable roller thereon, said roller engaging said cam surface.
 5. A resilient locking device as defined in claim 1 wherein said first profile means is connected to said second profile means to form an abrupt juncture therebetween whereby said retaining force will be suddenly increased when said member moves from said first profile means to said second profile means.
 6. A resilient locking device as defined in claim 1 wherein said first profile means is connected to said second profile means to form a smooth juncture therebetween whereby said retaining force will be regularly increased when said member moves from said first profile means to said second profile means.
 7. A resilient locking device as defined in claim 1 including means associated therewith by bypassing the effect of said cam whereby said jaw, after release, may be easily returned to a position for retaining a ski boot on a ski.
 8. A resilient locking device as defined in claim 1 wherein said cam includes a third profile means permitting release of said locking device when said member has moved past said second profile means.
 9. A resilient locking device as defined in claim 1 wherein said first rate of change of retaining force is substantially zero whereby said first profile means produces a substantially constant retaining force. 